Who where the first people to settle in China?

The earliest known inhabitants of China were the Xia dynasty (c. 2070–1600 BCE), traditionally credited as the first of China's dynastic rulers, though many scholars now regard it as a legendary dynasty as evidence for its existence has been relatively limited.

The first solid evidence of state-level societies in China come from the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BCE). During this time, the Bronze Age Shang culture dominated the Yellow River valley. The Shang's society was centered on a royal court and a network of vassal nobles, and they were well known for their production of ornate bronze ritual vessels and weapons.

The Shang culture was followed by the Zhou dynasty (1046–221 BCE), which further developed the political system and saw the rise of Confucianism and Taoism. The Zhou also saw the development of metallurgy and the use of chariots.

The Zhou dynasty was followed by a period of warring states known as the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BCE) and the Warring States period (475–221 BCE). During this period, China was divided into a number of small states that warred with each other for dominance.

The Warring States period ended with the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE) and the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, unified the country under a centralized government.